algarve coast, portugal

To cap off our time in Portugal we head south from Lisbon to the Algarve coast for some much-needed beach time, with a few stops along the way.  

In our hot little Peugeot we navigate out of Lisbon and make our way to Comporta, a town they call the “Hamptons of Portugal” due to all of the A-Listers that have visited in the last few years – obviously the red carpet was rolled out for our arrival. Undeniably it is a lovely beach, with clean, clear water in stunning shades of blue and green, and with beautiful views back toward Lisbon – you can even get a beach cabana with a hammock for a cool $300 per day. We move on. Azenha Do Mar is next, a tiny town built into the cliffs that overlooks a  picture-perfect beach and a natural freshwater pool. The water here is cool and bursting with freshness, washing away the sweat that has accumulated on our descent (and will be re-estalished on the ascent). Our last pitstop is Vila Nova De Milfontes, a small fishing village that I had read was worth checking out if you can, and it is, I wished we had been able to stay there, but alas a sandwich on the beach and then we are off. If you have the time and are making your way south to Lagos from Lisbon, I highly recomment stopping at all of the above places.

Lagos, like most towns in Portugal, has a beautiful old quarter full of restaurants, shops and sunburnt brits. We spent our time here lazing at one of the many beaches within walking distance of town. Each one had different geology to admire, warm sand to bury your feet in, and water to freeze you to your core – seriously this was the coldest water I’ve ever been in, and it quickly humbled me as I turned to Hannah asking, “how come nobody goes in the water here?” , ah, that’s why. A recently-built boardwalk lines the coast here so it's the perfect place for an everning walk overlooking the cliffs. There’s not much more to say about Lagos, it’s popular for a good reason and it has something for everyone. I’d go back in a heartbeat for the beautiful beaches, relaxed vibe and the many bars serving beer that’s almost as cold as the ocean is.

Emerging from our sunburnt haze we head west of Lagos to Ferragudo, a fishing village less than 1 hour away, and an absolute gem of Portugal. The small town is built around an inlet and dock, where you can sit and watch the fisherman unload their daily catch that is then featured in the many surrounding seafood restaurants. Despite its size Ferragudo punches well above its weight, there’s a lovely beach, streets lined with colourful homes and blossoming bougainvillea, and great places to refuel. It’s also conveniently located to the Benagil cave system, where you can grab a kayak and take in clear water, unique cave and rock formations, and the astonishing inability of so many people to manoeuvre a kayak. As we leave Ferragudo we take a route up the hill that the town sits at the base of, and eveywhere we look there is construction on very high-end housing, and I can't help but wonder what the town will look like if we ever come back - hopefully it can retain the small-town charm that makes it so special.

Our time in the Algarve was equal doses of vibrant culture, views and ample UV, the perfect way to bid farewell to what was a brilliant 3 weeks in Portugal.

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Hannah's Thoughts:

As company CRO (Chief Relaxation Officer) I took my role very seriously during our time in the Algarve. Lagos and Ferragudo consisted of sunshine, swimming, tanning and freezing cold water. Both places were absolutely lovely and I would definitely come back to them. Exploring different beaches each day and kayaking in the pristine water through caves and past epic landscapes were highlights for me.

Another highlight, albeit more of a materialistic one, was our accomodation! Our accommodation in Lagos, although not a 5 star hotel, felt like 5 stars after all the airbnb’s with tight little spaces and endless sets of stairs - it was such a breath of fresh air to be in a boutique hotel. And with aircon! A major improvement. Also they offered laundry service and boy did we have a lot by then! Our place was not only in the centre of the town, but it also didn’t require trudging up and down steep lanes, it was flat and easy to walk around. So whether or not I liked Lagos it gets a big tick just for our accomodation being so easy!

Moving onto less materialistic things, I loved stumbling across little taverna’s and bars playing live music and just watching the locals and the world go by. There was definitely a real community feel, especially in Ferragudo where local vendors supporting those less fortunate through free food and drinks.

I am in disbelief that we are at the end of our time in Portugal, I was just getting the hang of ordering a coffee, saying good morning and thank you. Now to learn a whole new language for Spain. Obrigada Portugal, you’ve been swell!